Mission

The Oklahoma State Park Foundation strives to preserve and improve Oklahoma's cultural, natural, and recreational riches to provide life-enhancing experiences for current and future visitors in Oklahoma State Parks.

Projects

The Oklahoma State Park Foundation actively supports projects that help preserve and improve Oklahoma’s park facilities, park educational programs, and park resource management programs. Below are a few projects we have supported.

Earth, Sky and Song: The Connection Between Oklahoma's Land, Climate and People

This project connected and continues to connect Oklahoma's youth with the natural resources and cultural heritage in Oklahoma. While Oklahoma State Parks have served educators and students as a field trip destination, it is recognized that most Oklahoma schools are not located near a state park and/or unable to take field trips. To mend this gap between schools and parks, a binder of educational documents and DVD's was created to bring state parks to life, while providing real-world applications of social studies in Oklahoma elementary classrooms. Duplicating DVD's within the school is not possible due to music copyright. As of June 29, 2010 there were 497 schools who received this packet. In order to provide these educational materials to schools free of charge, essential donors are critical. Each binder DVD set costs $35.00. To make a donation that will supply a specific school or county with this educational packet, please contact Tom Creider at 405-230-8382.

Your support will help make a lifelong educational impact on Oklahoma's youth.

You CAN Do It!

Keystone State Park began a new recycling program through the Oklahoma State Park Foundation called, You CAN DO It! to redirect the countless cans generated by lake and park users. A depository by the Green Country boat ramp encourages visitors to donate aluminum cans to the nearby Greenstar recycling facility in Sand Springs, OK. Funds generated from the aluminum will go directly back into Keystone State Park for future conservation projects. With your help, additional You CAN Do It! programs can be organized at other state parks.

Clean the World

Lodging amenities are available in many Oklahoma State Parks. As with other accommodation facilities, used soaps and shampoos are disposed of daily. The Foundation has partnered with Clean the World, a non-profit organization that sanitizes and recycles hygiene products for re-use. Instead of trashing these resources in a landfill, used products are re-processed in an environmentally and hygienically safe recycling process and sent to those that desperately need these simple amenities. The goal is to help prevent illness, diseases, and infections from children and families. Help us fund the annual yearly fee with a donation of $60 for small parks or $100 donation for lodges. Your donation will benefit countless families in need.

For 2010, the Oklahoma State Park Foundation financed the yearly fee for these Oklahoma State Parks: Boiling Springs, Great Salt Plains, Greenleaf, Keystone, Lake Wister, Osage Hills, and Tenkiller.

The Oklahoma State Park Foundation, Inc. is a non-profit organization that receives financial contributions to invest in the future of all state parks in Oklahoma. Our investments align with the overall mission of the Oklahoma State Park Division of the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department, which is to advance the exceptional quality of Oklahoma by preserving, maintaining, and promoting our natural assets and cultural amenities. We financially assist projects that involve preserving and improving Oklahoma's park facilities, park educational programs, and park resource management programs.

• Park Educational Programs: Renovating existing and constructing new Park Nature Centers, including exhibits and interpretive displays; outdoor education programs and services, including equipment and educational materials; endowments for outreach programs, such as environmental education for youth (both at school sites and in state parks); fishing clinics and special programming, including camping or backpacking for beginners and other adventure-type programs; and cultural presentations and elderhostel excursions.